Logan Square

Logan Square is laden with taquerias of all kinds, from tried-and-true favorites to hidden gems. Bring a big appetite and a light wallet for a multiple-mile jaunt down Milwaukee Avenue. This whole trip should ring in at less than $20. 1) Start with tasty tacos inside a small grocery store at Tierra Caliente #2 (2556 W. Armitage Ave. 773-486-5936) . The carne asada, made from freshly carved flank steak, is grilled until it's nicely charred on the outside but still moist on the inside.

The recent opening of Slippery Slope in Logan Square continues a springtime burst of new dance parties. Here's the lowdown on four of them: Neo 51 at Sub 51 51 W. Hubbard St. 312-828-0051 When: Tuesday nights, 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. What: Sub 51 teams up with NEO (New Enternet Order) for this dance party that aims to bridge the worlds of art, music, nightlife and fashion. The weekly party launched in April, and past DJs have included Million Dollar Mano, Stefan Ponce and The Cool Kids' Chuck Inglish.

Logan Square recorded its second homicide of the month last week, a RedEye analysis of preliminary police data found. A 23-year-old man was shot to death Dec. 23 in the 2300 block of North Ridgeway Avenue, police said. Logan Square has logged five homicides so far this year. The West Side community area recorded two homicides last year, RedEye determined. Citywide, gunshot homicides were logged in the last week in Austin, Grand Boulevard, the Lower West Side, North Lawndale, West Englewood and West Garfield Park, according to police information.

Boiler Room 2210 N. California Ave. 773-276-5625 For a good deal any night of the week, hop off the train at the California Blue Line station, walk right into this low-key pizza bar and ask for the PB&J special: A slice of pizza, a PBR tallboy can and shot of Jameson, all for $7.50. Logan Theatre 2646 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-342-5555 Head to this recently restored Art Deco-era movie theater for art films and mid-run mainstream flicks at several bucks less ($7, or $5.50 for matinees)

Some churches get charitable during the holiday season by organizing canned food or toy drives. Others open their doors to the public and serve a hot meal. The Logan Square branch Messio Dei celebrated its holiday spirit by encouraging Logan Square residents to stop by and have their portraits taken, free of charge. The portrait event was hosted this weekend at Logan Square Auditorium, and while the church also offered the same service for underprivileged residents last year, this year it was open to anyone.

Was it a mysterious ship in the sky over Logan Square, or just a not-so-clever Photoshop? Most likely, the latter. A photo making the rounds Tuesday claims a saucer hovered low over the north side neighborhood before taking off “in a blink” during rush hour, according to a report filed to the Mutual UFO Network's website . The site collects reports of UFOs from around the world. “I am writing this for a friend, as he is leary,” the report states, adding that the “sighting” was in Logan Square at a very busy time of day. The photo, which...

FOR TEQUILA Masa Azul 2901 W. Diversey Ave. 773-687-0300 This Latin-inspired bar and restaurant on the border of Logan Square and Avondale may be small, but it packs an impressive collection of artisanal tequilas, from unaged silver to super-aged anejo. For tequila fans searching for something new, a seat at the bar here is the gateway to experimenting with other Mexican-made spirits such as mezcal or sotol. When you stop by, be sure to say “hi” to RedEye's Best Bartender of 2012, Jenny Kessler.

Chicago native Carmen Marron was working as a guidance counselor in Phoenix when she decided to make a film addressing the experience of Latino teenagers. "Go For It," the dance drama that she wrote, directed and produced herself, was released earlier this year by Pantelion Films, a division of Lionsgate. It comes out on DVD Sept. 27. We caught up with Marron by phone from her home in L.A. to talk about her film projects and the state of Latino film. Why did you feel that it was important to set "Go For It" in Chicago?

Two Chicago men were arrested early Sunday morning after they allegedly drove around Logan Square in a black SUV, mugging pedestrians for their bags, county prosecutors said. Jose Juarez, 23, of the 1600 block of South Allport Street, and Alexander Saucedo, of Berwyn, Ill. were accused of robbery and attempted robbery, first when Saucedo allegedly tried to pry a messenger bag from the hands of a 26-year-old man walking near 2450 W. Armitage St., and, after failing to get the bag, fled in the black SUV. In the second incident, one of the men jumped from the SUV...

A sizable car fire under the Blue Line tracks near California and Fullerton avenues in Logan Square last night was caught on video. Dave Fried, a Logan Square resident and filmmaker, said he was leaving a show in the area when he saw the car already in flames around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. After calling 911, he said, he realized he had his camera and began filming. Fried sent the video to RedEye early Thursday morning. Fried said it did not appear anyone was in the car, and firefighters were able to douse the flames quickly.

*** (out of four stars) When an artist has an extraordinary voice, it can be difficult to sort great songs from OK songs sung beautifully. In the past few years I've continually returned to “Grown Unknown” by Lia Ices. Not only is her voice astonishing, but the complicated lyrics and thoughtful textures make the record soothing without becoming background music. It's a gorgeous, rewarding album that's more than just an awesome voice. That leads us to “Burn Your Fire For No Witness,” the breakout record (and first...

It's the morning of Valentine's Day. You've got dinner plans, your finest clothes on, but there's something ... missing, right? Silly Chicagoan! You forgot the V-Day JAMS! Music is beyond important for creating an atmosphere of amour. Don't believe me? Play that Mumford & Sons record during foreplay and see if you don't get thrown out of the house like Jazz on "Fresh Prince. " In our neverending attempt to get you laid, RedEye reached out to Tess Kisner and Kristen Kaza of Andsrsonville and Logan Square, the founders of...

We're predicting a city-wide quarter shortage with the announcement of yet another arcade bar, slated to open Feb. 17. Owner Jim Zespy of Logan Hardware record shop has announced plans for an arcade bar in the original Logan Hardware space at 2410 W. Fullerton Ave. When his hybrid record store/arcade outgrew that original space last year, he moved the operation to 2532 W. Fullerton Ave. That location will continue to house Logan Hardware Records, while...

A beloved Chicago icon lay on its deathbed Sunday, counting down the waning moments of life as mourners stopped by to pay their last respects. "Today's emotional for me, because Uncle Fun represents a part of Chicago that I really love," said Erik Scheidt, a 33-year-old Logan Square resident. "Something major is leaving Chicago, so now it's not as good," added Javy Maldonado, 23, also of Logan Square. And once five o'clock rolled around, Lakeview became a little less fun. After nearly 40 years, Ted Frankel decided to close up his beloved Uncle Fun...

Rumors have flown for months about a second Logan Square bar from the team behind Scofflaw . Finally, owners have released the bar's name, opening timeline and more details that should put some of the speculation to rest. The forthcoming two-story bar, located at 2357 N. Milwaukee Ave., will be called Slippery Slope and aims to "fill the Bonny's-sized hole in your heart," according to a release. When it opens "before Chicago sees snow for the last time," the bar will incorporate elements reminiscent of...

Logan Square's diagonal thoroughfare carves out the perfect path for a night of bar-hopping. This itinerary starts near the California stop on the Blue Line and heads northwest before doubling back to make the most of two bars with late-night licenses. 1) Start your night with a couple of cheap beers at Cole's Bar (2338 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-276-5802) , where you might be lucky enough to catch a band rocking out in the back room. 2) Right at the Fullerton/Milwaukee split, Helen's Two-Way Lounge (2928 W. Fullerton Ave. 773-227-5676)

A drinking game becomes a lot more intense when the red queen is literally holding a heart. That's what Blaise Sewell thinks, and now he has a fully funded Kickstarter campaign to prove it. “Zombie Shuffle,” a 52-card deck with its own set of rules, surpassed its goal on the crowd-funding site this week, and now Sewell hopes the game will become as popular as any other card game that's played at parties. “I hope the future of Zombie Shuffle is that everyone knows the rules,” he said, adding that the game's rules can be adapted to a standard deck.

Burger review: Parts and Labor 2700 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-360-7040 Rating: !! 1/2 (out of 4) A man cannot live on one type of burger alone--certainly not a beef-obsessed man like Burgerelli. Thick char burgers certainly are satisfying, but my tummy has rumbled recently for the lace-like edges of a pressed griddle burger. Edzo's Burger Shop fits the bill, but wherefore art the rest of the griddle burger barons? Parts and Labor, a mechanic-themed bar and burger restaurant that opened mid-December in Logan Square, serves only these precious pressed patties.